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Volume II Issue 5 The Pacific April 2017 SENTINEL PacificSentinel APRIL.indd 1 4/12/17 6:12 PM THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 05 IN THIS ISSUE LVL UP Up and coming band is taking things to the next level For the Glory of Mankind Nier: Automata Review ANOTHER Increase PSU tuition increase The Art of the Brick New OMSI exhibit explores alternative art medium The Bacchae Presented by PSU Theater + Film Department Shared Creative Spaces CONTACT Don’t buy new, reuse it [email protected] Fight For 15 proposes establishing a $15 minimum wage for all campus The Pacific Sentinel workers starting Fall 2017 Smith Memorial Student Union | S-29 Portland State University 1825 Sw Broadway Portland Or 97201 COPYRIGHT © 2017 THE PACIFIC SENTINEL. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Pacific Sentinel is published monthly as an independent student newsmagazine governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors, and readers and do not necessarily represent those of the PSU student body, faculty, staff, or administration. 2 THE PACIFIC SENTINEL PacificSentinel APRIL.indd 2 4/12/17 6:12 PM STAFF WHO WE ARE Editor-in-chief Alex Skousen The Pacific Sentinel magazine offers an inclusive Managing Editor forum incorporating in-depth content from Kasey Colton the PSU community. We advocate on behalf Graphic Designer of the marginalized, explore the merits of McKenzie Lee cultural artifacts, and initiate interdisciplinary Environment & Society Jessica Pollard communication. Arts & Culture Kimberlee Ponce Cover photo by Amelia Klein Science & Technology Jeremy King Contributors This Issue Savannah Quarm Taylor Shiells Tess Beschel Amelia Klein Steven Christian THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 3 PacificSentinel APRIL.indd 3 4/12/17 6:12 PM LVL UP: Up & Coming Band is Taking Things to the Next Level by Tess Beschel LVL UP photo taken by Tess Beschel 4 THE PACIFIC SENTINEL PacificSentinel APRIL.indd 4 4/12/17 6:12 PM “So what do you guys do to prepare for a set?” as an album under one name—LVL Up. “Stretch,” Nick Corbo said as he pulled his arms “[We] feel like ‘Space Brothers’ was our least over his head, and swayed side to side. collaborative album. There were more instances in that “Yeah, I stretch,” Greg Rutkin chimed in, “I also record of us making recordings as individuals and then just apply my Tiger Balm. Mike hates the smell but I kinda like putting them all into something that felt a little more like it, and so does everyone else.” a playlist,” the band said in a joint statement. Although the “It smells so bad,” said Mike Caridi. songwriting was often done separately, something about We were upstairs behind the balcony of the sound and subject matter of the songs came together Mississippi Studios, standing around a circular table. It was relatively cohesively. 7 pm—an hour before the first of three openers. Shortly before their first show as a band, Rutkin “Sometimes I drink a Red Bull,” Dave Benton said, joined the mix, and in September of 2014, they released which gave Corbo the idea to go get himself a vodka Red “Hoodwink’d,” on the independent record label Double Bull. Double Whammy, that was founded by Caridi and Benton. Almost exactly three hours later, the band took “Hoodwink’d” was a fifteen-track lo-fi/power pop record the stage under indigo lights and six mounted bass drums. that featured some of the group’s most interesting The room was packed, and the balcony was full. As soon songwriting and musicianship to date. Sonically, the record as they struck the first chord, the crowd erupted and began was a buzzy revival of the 90’s rock era, with a sort of singing in unison with Benton, “One vocal reclusiveness that is a trademark more day, we’ll make some money, of their unique sound. Thematically, honey” — the hook to one of the “We all they addressed similar topics to their group’s most popular tracks, “Annie’s first album of interpersonal conflict, but a Witch,” off their sophomore album, the record exhibits a recurring theme “Hoodwink’d.” Rutkin’s impeccable have kind of looking at these conflicts through timing on the drums created an the guise of a supernatural motif, using infectious beat that warranted vigorous witchcraft, hexes, and casting spells as head-nodding; Corbo’s bass work of our own a sort of spiritual scapegoat for the very vibrated through the massive amplifiers real problems that come along with being intoxicating the crowd with the nuances in your early twenties. The band has that his unique ham-fisted style offers; vibe.” referred to this album in past interviews and Benton and Caridi’s guitar solos were a blatant as their first real full-length album release. The reaction to depiction of their talent. The crowd bounced and crooned this album was dynamic, and put the spotlight on them in to each song, infatuated with the alternating setlist the underground Brooklyn music scene. between the three songwriters and vocalists of the band: In 2015, LVL Up toured with the band The Dave, Mike, and Nick. Sidekicks, and caught the ear of Nick Duncan, a radio “We all have kind of our own vibe.” Corbo said. and college promotion representative from Seattle label “Mike has a much more straight rock feel, Nick SubPop. has a behind the beat kind of thing going on for most of his “I think I listened to [Hoodwink’d] hundreds of times. For songs, and I think Dave is usually writing things that are a a while it was all I was listening to. I got obsessed with little funkier, in an untraditional sort of way,” Rutkin added. that record,” Duncan said. He spent the next few months About six years ago, amidst the abundant creative giving the band’s music to SubPop’s Artists and Repertoire talent incubated at the university known as SUNY Purchase department and when the band made it over to the West in New York City, Benton, Corbo, Caridi, and Rutkin found Coast, he brought the general manager to their show in each other and struck gold. They were among a community Seattle. After that set, SubPop made the decision to offer of artists with similar aspirations who lived together, the group a contract. worked together, and played together in various DIY show “They stared at the center of this explosive Brooklyn music spaces. Caridi, Benton, and Corbo released their first album, scene so when they played, they were in a room full of “Space Brothers” in 2011, initially intending it to be a split people who knew the band and knew the record, everyone tape for their solo projects, but later deciding to release it in the venue was singing to every song. Everyone was THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 5 PacificSentinel APRIL.indd 5 4/12/17 6:12 PM excited by the set, and as much as they played great, the of songs—they wanted to make one single record.” response from the crowd was great, and I think that won Recording with SubPop afforded them the everybody [at the label] over,” Duncan said. resources to experiment more with new sounds and The band had been waiting for an opportunity instruments, and after transitioning from college to the real like this—SubPop was on their list of dream labels they world, they reached a new maturity level, ready to explore would want to have a contract with and, in their words, more sophisticated subject matters. “We were feeling a little loss of steam, a little exhausted “Part of that is you’re not twenty and in college anymore, from releasing our own records.” Naturally, they had a bit all of a sudden it’s like, ‘this is the real world, you gotta of nerves before the Seattle gig. “Our set was late so there deal with grown-up problems, and not just the emotional was a lot of suspense and lead up time to get the jitters,” shit,’” Duncan said. The band explains in a joint statement, Benton said. “After [the show] we felt we gave it our best “There was a certain development in subject matter that and we were really happy.” can be attributed mostly to age and perspective, or maybe “It was one of the best shows we ever played,” just a shift in a focus of interest.” In “Return to Love,” Corbo added. The rest of the guys concurred. the occult theme from “Hoodwink’d” is exchanged with In early 2016, the band signed with SubPop a more theological feel, with the opening track, “Hidden and began the production of their third album, “Return Driver,” ringing out with the chorus: “God is peeking, softly to Love.” Duncan explained what stood out to him most speaking, breaking everything.” about the band: “The songwriting in general is super “Return to Love” is a turning point in the band’s strong.